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Prison terms handed down for 2 courthouse rioters

Published: 14 May. 2025, 13:00 Updated: 14 May. 2025, 20:00

In this file photo, protestors storm the Seoul Western District Court in western Seoul on Jan. 19, after the court issued a warrant extending former President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention. [YONHAP]

A Seoul court handed down prison terms for two men for their involvement in a courthouse riot in January that marked an unprecedented social crisis triggered by a ruling extending the detention of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The Seoul Western District Court sentenced one of the men, a 35-year-old surnamed Kim, to an 18-month term, and the other, a 28-year-old surnamed So, to a one-year term on charges of trespassing at the district courthouse in western Seoul on Jan. 19.

It marked the first ruling in the courthouse riot case.

The two were among dozens of protesters who broke into the court's compound shortly after it issued a warrant that extended Yoon's arrest over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December.

The two individuals were charged with damaging property after breaking into the compound, while Kim also faced charges of assault for pushing police officers.

Prosecutors had sought a three-year prison term for Kim and a two-year term for So.

The court described the case as dealing with criminal activity that demonstrated the "force of the masses" against the court.

"The results of the crime in its entirety at the time were horrendous," it said. "It is a crime that took place due to obstinacy and obsession to immediately punish and retaliate against the issuance of a warrant by the Republic of Korea's judiciary by interpreting and defining it as a political conspiracy."

During the case's first hearing on April 30, they admitted to all charges.

A sentencing hearing for four others who allegedly assaulted police officers and reporters and broke into the courthouse is scheduled to take place Friday.

In February, prosecutors announced they had indicted 63 people in connection with the riot.

Yonhap